The instant application is based upon French priority Patent Application No. 99 14554, filed Nov. 19, 1999, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference thereto in its entirety, and the priority of which is hereby claimed under 35 U.S.C. xc2xa7 119;
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electric outlet socket provided with a sealed bellows joint, the outlet being fixed or mobile to link up to a connector.
The word connector is used here for simplification whereas according to standardised terms it concerns a connector socket.
The connector can also be fixed or provided with a handle to form a plug.
Such an electric outlet socket is provided with a cover and electrical contacts which are mounted in an insulating support set in a casing and which are intended to link up with opposite contacts of a connector also provided with a casing intended to be introduced between the insulating support and the socket casing during the linkup between the connector and the socket.
A device of this kind is described in particular in the French patent 2 270 696.
One of the problems to be solved for this type of connection device in certain utilisation conditions, concerns the seal of the socket in the state when the cover is closed, as well as the seal between the socket and the connector, the latter being linked, in rest position that is to say non-connected, or in connected position.
This is the reason why the invention relates to an outlet socket which is specially notable in that a bellows joint is set in a sealed manner around the insulating support of the socket, between the insulating support and the socket casing while at least one elastic Mechanism is envisaged to pull the joint towards an extended position, the joint taking up a retracted position when it is pulled by the front end of the casing of the connector against the effect of the elastic Mechanism.
An electric outlet socket, particularly like the one described in the above-mentioned patent 2 270 696, is generally provided in addition with an ejection washer which is set between the insulating support and the casing of the socket and which is intended to be pulled by the front end of the casing of the connector during the linkup between the connector and the socket against the effect of at least one elastic Mechanism with which the washer is provided.
In this advantageous embodiment of the invention, the bellows joint covers at least partly the top of the ejection washer in such a way that this covering part of the joint is inserted between the washer and the front end of the casing of the connector in the position where the connector is linked in the socket, the elastic Mechanism of the ejection washer thus serving as elastic Mechanism for the extension of the joint.
Preferably, the cover of the socket is provided with an annular skirt intended to be introduced into the casing of the socket when the socket is not linked with the connector, the height of the skirt being chosen so that in a closed position its front end applies pressure to the part of the joint which covers the ejection washer.
In this latter case, with a socket provided as well with at least one safety disc locked in angular position at rest by at least one lip provided on the ejection washer, the unlocking being carried out by the connector during the linkup, the height of the skirt of the cover is chosen to apply pressure and push back the ejection washer without the latter going beyond its unlocking position of the safety disc.
In this way, the joint according to the invention ensures the seal of the socket, whether this is closed by its cover, or linked with a connector in a rest position or in a connection position.
The invention provides for a first electrical connector comprising a casing, an insulating support disposed within the casing, a plurality of electrical contacts mounted in the insulating support, a bellows joint disposed between the insulating support and the casing, and at least one elastic mechanism adapted to bias the bellows joint towards an extended position, wherein the first electrical connector is adapted to connect to a second electrical connector having a plurality of second electrical contacts which engage the plurality of first electrical contacts, and wherein the bellows joint is adapted to move to a retracted position when the second electrical connector is connected to the first electrical connector.
The first connector may further comprise a cover for protecting the electrical connector. The first electrical connector may be a socket connector and the second electrical connector may be a plug connector. The plurality of first electrical contacts of the first electrical connector may be socket type contacts and the plurality of second electrical contacts of the second electrical connector may be pin type contacts. The bellows joint may be set in a sealed manner around the insulating support. The second electrical connector may comprise a casing and the casing of the second electrical connector may be adapted to move the bellows joint to the retracted position against a biasing force of the at least one elastic mechanism.
The first connector may further comprise an ejection washer disposed between the insulating support and the casing. The second electrical connector may comprise a casing and the casing of the second electrical connector may be adapted to engage the ejection washer and move the bellows joint to the retracted position against a biasing force of the at least one elastic mechanism. The ejection washer may comprise an upper surface which engages a shoulder of the bellows joint. The casing of the second electrical connector may be adapted to move within the shoulder of the bellows joint. The ejection washer may comprise a lower surface which engages the elastic mechanism.
The first connector may further comprise a cover for protecting the first electrical connector, the cover including a skirt which is adapted to engage the ejection washer. The skirt may comprise a length sufficient to move the bellows joint from the extended position when the cover is in a covering position.
The first connector may further comprise an ejection washer and at least one safety disc. The safety disc may be adapted to be locked in an angular position. The safety disc may comprise a lip for locking the safety disc in an angular position. The safety disc may be disposed adjacent the ejection washer. The second electrical connector may comprise a casing and the casing of the second electrical connector may be adapted to engage the ejection washer and move the bellows joint to the retracted position against a biasing force of the at least one elastic mechanism, and the safety disc may be adapted to be unlocked when the casing of the second electrical connector engages the ejection washer.
The invention also provides for an electrical connector comprising a cylindrical casing, a circular insulating support disposed within the casing, a plurality of first electrical contacts mounted in the insulating support, a movable biasing mechanism disposed between the insulating support and the casing, the biasing mechanism having at least an extended position and a retracted position, wherein the electrical socket connector is adapted to connect to another connector having a plurality of second electrical contacts which engage the plurality of first electrical contacts.
The invention also provides an electrical connector comprising a cylindrical casing, a cover pivotally mounted to the casing, a circular insulating support disposed within the casing, a plurality of first electrical contacts mounted in the insulating support, a safety disc rotatably mounted to the insulating support, an ejection washer engaging a movable biasing mechanism, the movable biasing mechanism being disposed between the insulating support and the casing, the biasing mechanism having at least an extended position and a retracted position, wherein the electrical socket connector is adapted to connect to another connector having a plurality of second electrical contacts which engage the plurality of first electrical contacts.